Calamari Bun

The Royal Palace as seen from the gates

The palace museum ended up being closed yesterday so we had to settle for the museum's gift and coffee shops. Then we stopped by the church next to it - Catedral Nuestra Snora de la Alumdena, which of course was open. This church took 350 years to build. The only reason why I would personally be drawn to Catholicism is to be able to hang out at a place like this every Sunday. But then again, common folk with no inkling towards any faith can do a pop-in like they do a 7-11 and get what they want out of it and pop out again. I got my dose of grandeur, stained glass windows and ecclesiastical remains for the week.

Inside the church you can drop a coin in a box for illumination. My sister dropped one in but I couldn't see any illumination. Or did it mean if you drop a coin, you personally will be illuminated? Maybe we were looking all around except the most obvious place- at ourselves. I didn't think to look up to see if there was a 'This is your life' spotlight on us. I might have to re-visit to investigate. Do you ever feel illuminated every time you open the fridge door? Personally, I feel inspired and fat.

Also if you are inclined to set up your own church, here that can help equip your needs. You can even buy an entire archbishop outfit with gold embroidery and cone hat. I think the the pope must they are a few shops shop here. Speaking of outfits, I want to buy a pair of shoes and a pair of fuchsia pink stockings that the matadors wear. I'm told that there is a shop that tailors the clothing for the bull butchers.

For afternoon tea I had another local specialty - a calamari bun. Do try this at home. The calamari was great but needed a bit of lemon. The bun could have been better. It was too 'wookie' for my liking (apologies to my non-native English speaking readers). Yesterday, I also discovered Damm. It's alcohol free beer! Where have you been all my cricket-watching and footy viewing life? It tastes like beer and it looks like beer but I don't feel my face going red after half a glass of the stuff. It's the best invention ever, after air conditioners toilet paper! I'd seen a lot of grandmas drinking beer around lunch time and I thought gee these grandmars like their beer and yet I didn't see any beer guts. Now I know better. It's also calories free, hence the 'free' bit.

Photo of the day

Yes, a picture of yours truly around the perimeter of Plaza Mayor. All the buildings are crooked because they didn't have levellers back then. The oldest restaurant in the world 'Botin' (one of Hemingway's favourites and famous for its suckling pig dish) is also found on this street, as well as Tin Tin and Snowy and I'm not even in Belgium.